The traditional calling together of the clan over the Christmas season is one of the few opportunities for us to gather, when once long, long ago, we met each other practically on a weekly basis. It's always great fun when family on my paternal side organize ourselves together. Loud conversations and lots of excitement in the air, mostly from the older folk. Well, yes and no, because our succeeding generation usually adds its own brand of familial chaos to the dinner table. Tonight's dinner was quieter than usual as more than half the kids in the (extended) family were overseas on holiday, so this year the uncles and aunties dominated.

Too much good food to celebrate Christmas with. 3 roast chickens, a platter of Sakae Sushi, a pot of stewed lamb, kong bak with accompanying dumplings, fresh garden salad, a bowl of stir-fried veggies, roast pork, 2 steamed pomfret, a large pot of mushroom soup with 2 blocks of butter dissolved in it, fried noodles, konnyaku jelly and caramel custard for dessert; and lots of Coke, Heineken, cappucino and red wine. Unlike previous years, there was a significant quantity of leftovers. Most of us got full faster than usual and we generally decided that age is slowing all of us down.

Sang our first carols before midnight; this year it was the remaining kids providing the accompanying music for the first time ever. Nice to see they're starting to earn their keep, eh?